


A Heart's Desire

by Locolo



Category: Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: (meaning Tifa won't let anyone take Cloud away from her), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff and Angst, References to Depression, Romance, slight jealousy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-09-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:01:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26293057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Locolo/pseuds/Locolo
Summary: Tifa wasn't bold or straightforward when it came to her own feelings, but when there is something that must be said, she has her own way of showing them to Cloud.
Relationships: Tifa Lockhart/Cloud Strife
Comments: 6
Kudos: 58





	1. Reunion

_"... promise me, that if I should ever find myself in trouble, you will come to rescue me! Promise me, only once…"_

_The stars glimmered that night as Cloud stared at her with wide eyes, but it was the only way she could think of in that moment to reassure herself that… wherever he went, regardless how long they would be apart, she could cling onto that promise to reunite with him someday._

_"... o-okay, I will._

_Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and their promise never left her mind even as the years started to pass her by. She wouldn't miss a single day to check the newspapers for his name. Until the accident…_

_She would never forgive Shinra for what they had done to her, for what they had stolen from her. It had taken its toll on her, and her hatred for Shinra brought her to her current situation. But even after all these years, after everything that happened…_

_… she held onto that promise._

* * *

Tifa pulled her hood slightly closer over her head, gripping the ends of her cloak tighter around herself as she moved through the small crowd of people on the streets. Even though the sun was shining, if it could be called like that, the rays that touched her skin merely left a cold shudder behind, prompting her to hold on to her cloak a little more. 

It was a routine that she had gotten used to in her time within the slums, she would get out of her bed, catch a glimpse of the dull light that managed to enter her room from the small crack in the door, and a cold sensation would slowly creep onto her skin as she got ready for the day. She had grown accustomed to it, just like the people outside that were walking through the streets as she stepped out of her room, taking a moment to think about what lay in front of her for the day. 

However, there _was_ a small thing that encouraged her to put on a small smile as she made her way to the train station within Sector 7, for she was particularly interested in the newspaper stand that was near the station. It was a small thing for her to help her get out of bed, to face the same daily challenges that awaited her, and to help her go to sleep with the knowledge that she had something to look forward to the next morning. 

And knowing that a smile always helped to brighten the day of the others, she wouldn't want Barret and the others to worry about her, especially Marlene. She knew that giving was better than taking, she had learned that a long time ago. And as long as her friends were happy, then she could take comfort in that as well… 

She glanced up as she approached the small but familiar stand at the station, the space slightly more crowded due to the train which was currently stopping there. Tifa carefully avoided the people that were in front of her, witnessing the happy expressions of those who were seeing their loved ones again or those who merely wanted to move on and escape the crowd as fast as they could. 

Not paying them any mind, she moved forward until she reached the small and almost unnoticeable newspaper stand, ignored by any other person nearby. The stack was almost untouched, simply lying there for anyone to take, but as she reached out her hand, her eyes suddenly caught sight of a person amidst the crowd that was stumbling along the way of the station. 

She froze as the people in his way parted to let him through, staring at the injured person with shock, but nobody took it upon themselves to assist him as he fell to his knees, holding on to his sword to balance himself on the ground. However, the moment she got a clear sight of his face, her mind turned blank before she immediately rushed to his side. 

_'Cloud…!'_

* * *

The moment Tifa laid eyes upon Cloud's barely conscious form, her previous thoughts vanished as she helped him back to her home near the bar, her mind racing with worry and fear. There were too many questions that plagued her mind, too many for her to handle once she noticed the injuries and blood on his clothes, and her surroundings were all but forgotten as she reached her room. 

It was almost two weeks during which she did nothing but watch over Cloud, taking care of his wounds as best as she could. It was not how she would have ever imagined meeting him again, and she felt nothing but helpless as she watched his sleeping form during the night with concern written all over her face. Sometimes, he would randomly clutch his head in deep pain, prompting her to rush to his side in the middle of the night. Even though he couldn't hear her, she stayed by his side to reassure him, to try and ease the pain. 

It was not long until Barret found out about her old childhood friend, as much as she had tried to hide his presence, she couldn't hide the fact from Marlene, and it went on from there. It was not easy to try and convince Barret that Cloud was trustworthy, but regardless of what he had argued, it was a matter in which Tifa didn't back down, and she could still see the surprise in everyone's expression once they witnessed a side of her that they hadn't seen of Tifa before. 

It was due to her demonstrations that Barret reluctantly agreed to have Cloud among them, with Tifa reassuring them that Cloud would be able to help them with his abilities. Albeit she had to suppress the giant smile that threatened to show on her face once it was settled, for it was directly after these two weeks and Cloud's recovery that she was reminded of what this actually meant. Back then, her thoughts were filled with nothing but worry for Cloud's health and well-being, and even though there were still many things that remained a mystery to her… 

… they were reunited once more, in the most unlikely of all places. 

* * *

It worked as fine as Tifa had hoped it would once Cloud returned from his first mission alongside with the rest of their small team, even though Barret was still more than… unapproachable, when it came to Cloud. But so was he in return, he rarely lost a word if it didn't concern a job, and it was clear that he didn't want to get closer to any of them. 

But Tifa was glad, _more_ than glad that she had found a way to make him stay, even if it was only temporary. Thus, she helped him to find his footing within the slums by introducing him to potential clients while assisting him during any job they accepted. And despite Barret's reluctance, Biggs and Wedge were more than happy to help Cloud to spread word about him. 

"Don't worry, by the time we're back, word about you will have reached everyone within the slums! You'll be flooded with clients!", Biggs held a thumbs up, and even though Cloud didn't show it, Tifa could still see that he appreciated the gesture. It didn't matter that he tried to hide it behind his mask of indifference, Tifa knew him better than that. 

Yet… sometimes she was left wondering if Cloud was thinking the same as her. Was he as excited as her…? Did he still remember her in that way…? Did he-

Did he still remember their promise…?

"... so, about the creatures in the yard, I can take care of them for you.", just as she had expected, Cloud avoided the attention that lingered on him and shifted the topic to the matter at hand. 

"Perfect, for someone like you, I'm sure they won't prove to be any problem. And while you're at it, we'll go and spread the word about you. Sounds good?"

"I'll come with you!", Cloud's eyes widened slightly at Tifa's sudden request. 

"I can handle this myself, you don't need to."

"But you don't know the way… do you?", she clasped her hands behind her back while staring at him with an innocent smile, Biggs continuously shifting his eyes between the two of them. In the end, Cloud merely heaved an almost inaudible sigh before he relented. 

"Fine.", her smile widened as she tilted her head to the side. 

She knew that Cloud was not one to enjoy the company of others too much, and she knew that it was simply his way, but… she wanted to make everything as appealing to him as she possibly could, to show him that the people here, Biggs, Wedge and the others… they would very much like to include him in their little circle. 

_She_ would like to include him… and maybe convince him to stay after all… 

"I want to come along as well-", Biggs stepped between the pair and Wedge, holding the latter back to his disappointment. 

"Oh no no no, you don't.", turning his head back towards Cloud and Tifa, he urged them to go. 

"Sorry, maybe next time!", Wedge sighed deeply with a groan as Tifa gently held Cloud by his shoulders while leading him outside. Biggs merely stared at him with a raised eyebrow. 

"Can't you take a hint? They haven't seen each other for a long time, you'd just be a third wheel.", he patted Wedge on the shoulder as he slumped into a nearby chair. 

* * *

"H-hey, stop that!"

The moment Johnny was dragged outside the building by three Shinra soldiers, Tifa knew that they had to do something to prevent him from giving away any information that might slip from his mouth. What she didn't know was that Cloud's uptake of 'rendering him silent' was a lot different from her own. 

Something that she only discovered once they managed to track them down in a more secluded yard, prepared for a fight. 

"Hm…? And who are you?", the grunts aimed their weapons at the pair as they entered the yard, the sudden interruption prompting the captured victim to frantically look around even though his eyes were bound. 

"W-who's there!? My friends…? Is it you? Avala-", a swift kick to the stomach rendered him speechless, just like Cloud as he watched Tifa from behind. The latter merely sighed in regret while the grunts readied their weapons, being shocked as well. 

"Hey, you! What do you think you're doing?"

Cloud joined her side immediately before he drew his sword, nodding towards her. 

"Looks like it's going to be the hard way."

Tifa had seen Cloud's abilities first-hand whenever they fought beasts or other creatures that threatened the people of the slums, but she hadn't seen him fight other people with the same indifference before. It wasn't long until the three grunts lay on the ground, unconscious, before Tifa turned to see that Cloud was staring at Johnny with an almost empty gaze. 

"Cloud…? What are you going to do?"

"Rendering him silent.", her eyes widened in disbelief before she was immediately at his side, stepping in front of him while holding him in place. 

"Don't!", her voice was filled with both worry and dread, hearing Johnny frantically pleading for his life once he caught on to what was happening. Her eyes searched his own to convey what her words couldn't do alone, and in just a moment of hesitation, Cloud averted her gaze and crouched down beside Johnny, his voice both cold and yet indifferent. 

"If you value your own life, then you should leave."

The poor and bound man nodded quicker than he could mutter his thanks before he hastily stood up from the ground to run away. Tifa watched Cloud for a long moment, feeling as if she had been looking at him properly for the first time. 

"He might talk.", his words brought her out of her trance. 

"I know, but he didn't do anything…"

"And those?", he glanced at the unconscious Shinra grunts before Tifa looked back at him with worry. 

"We'll just leave them be.", Cloud gave a curt but hesitant nod before he sheathed his sword on his back, but Tifa couldn't just leave like that. She had seen the way Cloud had regarded them, the sheer… emptiness and indifference in his eyes… 

"Cloud… what is wrong…?", his eyes widened slightly at her words, for she couldn't keep the hurt out of her voice as she stared back at him, a dreadful thought entering her mind. 

"What is it?", Tifa glanced at the ground in hesitation, pondering about her words carefully. 

"I… don't know. Somehow, you seem to have changed, Cloud."

"How do you mean?", he held a hand to his side as he looked at her, an unreadable expression on his face. 

"Your eyes, for example. How should I put it…? Back then, they weren't so…", her voice almost turned into a thoughtful whisper as she slowly reached out her hand towards his face before she halted, doubts holding her back once she became more aware of her actions. 

"It's due to the Mako, it changes everyone's eyes in SOLDIER."

"I-i see…", any further words died in her throat as she lowered her hand again, giving him a curt nod. 

"I guess we should leave before they come to their senses again.", her thoughts were plaguing her mind as they took their leave, his words from but a moment ago vibrating within her head… 

… but it was not really what she had meant by that. 

However, what she didn't know was that Cloud was silently pondering about her own words as well, memories coursing through his head. He didn't say another word for the rest of their trip back. 

* * *

It was night during the time that Tifa approached Cloud's room that was located beside her own. After the tour she had given him, she took it upon herself to get him a room near the Seventh Heaven, and knowing that beside her was still an empty room that was just waiting for a new owner… Marle couldn't refuse once she saw her pleading eyes. 

Now, Tifa was neither bold or straightforward, if anything, the well being and feelings of her friends were always her priority instead of her own. But in the rare cases when it came down to it, she struggled to convey her own feelings, which were almost begging to be seen. 

These cases being whenever she found the appropriate moment to have Cloud to herself. 

Sometimes she couldn't help but wonder if the Cloud that was currently sitting in front of her was truly the same person from all those years ago. She remembered the shy and innocent boy from back then, and all this time apart, there wasn't a single day where she didn't check the newspapers for a sign of his name anywhere. 

But she also couldn't help but think that the years had created a rift between them… 

_"Still, it's kinda funny… us going our separate ways, thinking that must be it… that we'd never meet again- and then here of all places we do."_

… one that she desperately wanted to overcome. 

Sometimes, the silence between them was good, neither of them felt the need to speak out about the comfortable atmosphere that surrounded them when they simply lingered in each other's presence… but when there is something to say, something that _must_ be said in order to breach the invisible barrier between them, she hesitates, her consciousness getting the better of her every time that she tried. 

Time and time again she would carefully step around it, wondering if he was thinking the same as her, if he was secretly _hoping_ for the same. She held on to that belief, taking step after step to try and open him towards her. 

"I've ran into Johnny earlier, he says that he is leaving the town…", she could feel his eyes upon her in that moment as he pondered about the name. 

"Hm? Oh, that guy.", she averted his gaze while she tried to find the right words before she hesitantly glanced back at him, her eyes meeting his own. 

"Say, Cloud… are you planning to leave Midgar as well?", it was a question that she dreaded, if given the chance, would he simply choose to leave again? It never left her mind for a single moment while she showed him everything she knew of the slums, trying her very best to show him that life here was… simple but beautiful. She was certain that with time, he would grow fond of it as well. 

He shifted his eyes to the wall beside him, silence stretching between them once again as Tifa forced herself to remain calm. 

"... it seems an old friend of mine is in a tight spot, so I will stay and help her. I've promised it once."

Her heart leaped for a moment as she froze, her previous thoughts all but forgotten as she simply stared at Cloud for what felt like several minutes. He _did_ remember their promise after all this time… words failed her as she felt the need to say something, _anything_ , in return.

"I can't say that this is quite what I had in mind when I put that on you way back when…", she leaned back on the wall behind her as she stared at the ground, her voice almost a whisper to herself. True, she would have never believed that they would meet again under these circumstances, in Midgar of all places… but he was with her again, after seven years, and the mere thought of him staying with her… 

"If you ever need to talk, I'm listening.", his words almost caused her to freeze once more, feeling almost as though her thoughts were open for him to read as she stared into those eyes that were carefully watching her. She couldn't stop the small but embarrassed laugh that escaped her as her mind tried to find any more words. 

"What's with you all of a sudden?", his eyes widened briefly in surprise and confusion. 

"With me?" 

"Yes, it's almost as if you're losing that hard edge.", she cursed herself for her own choice of words. 

"Is that bad?"

"Not at all! I like it… maybe Marlene won't be so scared of you the next time.", mentally heaving a sigh in relief that she managed not to give the wrong impression, she felt the familiar urge to simply leave as fast as she could, too many thoughts swirling around in her head that she needed to organize in order to compose herself. 

He _was_ still the same Cloud that she had always known, all she had to do was to reach out for him. Maybe… maybe all this time, they had both been missing something… 

"Anyway, I'm really glad to have you back, Cloud… _really glad_. I would like to catch up more, but we should probably get some sleep, yeah?", the words left her mouth quicker than she could ponder about them, and the need to escape the situation once again amplified. 

"Yeah… good night, Tifa."

* * *

A ray of sunlight shone into the small room, prompting Tifa to slowly open her eyes with a smile as she turned onto her side to stare at the door. Regarding the light as if she had never seen it before quite like this, she suddenly felt a prompt rush of energy that caused her to get out of the bed with a newfound vigor before she changed into her usual clothes, glancing down at herself with another smile once she opened the door and took the first steps outside. 

The sunlight felt warm upon her skin as she took a moment to stare at the slums and the people that were already out and about, wondering if they were somehow wearing brighter clothes or if their expressions simply seemed to be more joyful than usual. She clasped her hands together and stretched her arms behind her back, letting the warm feeling wash over her before she smiled. 

"Tifa, dear one, you are awake earlier than usual. And you already seem to have such a bright mood as well!", Tifa smiled at Marle's kind words once she looked down to see that the elderly woman was already awake too, albeit with a hint of confusion in her wine-red eyes. 

"Really…? I'm feeling quite as I always do.", the elder merely chuckled lightly with a small shake of her head before she dismissed the topic. 

"Maybe it is just me, but you look even brighter to me than usual. I'm sure that you have a lot planned for today, I don't want to keep you away from it."

"Thank you, Marle! I'll be sure to stop by later.", wishing Tifa all the best, Marle watched her with a small smile as she made her way to her friend's room, whom she had introduced the other day with that bright glimmer in her eyes, the sheer liveliness reflecting from within them. She had seen Tifa for a long time before, ever since she had moved to the slums. And apparently she didn't even seem to notice herself how different she was before. A grin suddenly formed on her face. 

"It seems to work with him after all."


	2. By Any Means Necessary

"What is all the commotion about? Are you new in town? Don't cause any trouble."

"We are looking for a young woman, who was within this Chocobo-Carriage.", Cloud remained silent during the conversation while eyeing the owner of the Chocobos carefully, merely intent to get any useful information out of him for Tifa's whereabouts. He had never been to the Wall Market before, but he had a very bad feeling about this place… 

"And would you mind telling me why you are looking for this woman in specific?", hearing that, Cloud's mind snapped to attention, urging him to speak out his thoughts without thinking about them. 

"We want to rescu-" 

"Because he has fallen madly in love with her! That's why!", a brief second of silence passed, the Chocobo beside them shifting nervously at the tension that seemed to fill the air directly afterwards. 

"... what?", that single word escaped Cloud as a small whisper, turning his mind blank for a moment while Sam now shifted his attention to him instead. 

"Well, that's a serious problem now, isn't it? However, we're driving many people around, so if you could describe her a bit more closely?"

"More closely?", his thoughts were still a giant mess as the attention of both Aerith and Sam now lingered on him. A mental image of Tifa appeared in his mind in that instance-

-and he found himself at a loss for words. 

"S-she can… kick pretty strongly…", Aerith glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes, needing a moment to register his words. 

"I'm afraid that's not really helping, Cloud…", her tone was raised slightly in a mixture of disbelief and hesitation, but Sam still seemed to catch the description. 

"You're not possibly talking about Tifa, are you?", Cloud simply ignored the awkward moment at the mentioning of her name. 

"Exactly."

"Oh boy, another unlucky victim… but sadly I must disappoint you. You won't be able to see Tifa for a long while.", Aerith could see the slight stiffening in Cloud's form, concern reflecting in her eyes. 

"And why is that?"

"Because she has something special about her. That's why she was invited for Don Corneos wife audition in his mansion."

"A wife audition…?", whereas Aerith wanted to reassure Cloud before, her own concerns started to become more apparent as she heard that term. 

"That's how the Don calls it whenever he is looking for a new… well, I'm sure you understand. And unfortunately, Tifa will probably match his preferences completely. By now, I know his likings all too well. You will have to account for the fact that she won't leave his mansion for at least quite a while… in the worst circumstances, never again.", Cloud's hand formed into a tight fist, a painful feeling coursing through him that only managed to confuse and frustrate him. 

"And where exactly is this mansion if I may ask?", his tone was still calm and collected, but Aerith could see the turmoil behind his eyes, hiding underneath his mask of indifference that he was probably not even aware of himself. 

But his sudden request didn't exactly appease Sam of his possible intentions. 

"Wait a moment. Are you planning something behind your back? I don't want to be confronted with something like this, so leave me out of this. Away with you.", he didn't wait for a response and simply returned to his small shack, leaving the pair alone once again. 

"... and away he goes. Then I guess we'll have to look around the town for clues.", Cloud merely heaved an almost inaudible sigh, staring at the ground with an almost empty stare before he gave her a curt nod, not wanting to hesitate for another moment. 

* * *

_ "Oh no- if you're asking me to dance, then don't.", Cloud was internally amused as he worked to open the metal door in front of them, his fingers moving over the buttons on the console as Barret pointed a finger at Tifa.  _

_ "C'mon, don't be shy! How 'bout you, Cloud?" _

_ Said amusement instantly turned into irritation as he mentally groaned, thankful that the door finally opened as he entered the last code.  _

_ "I don't dance." _

His own words came to haunt him as he stepped out of the Honeybee Inn, a shame that he didn't know was possible to feel burning at his face as he wholeheartedly ignored Aerith coming up to him from behind multiple times, her attempts to catch his attention being left with no reply. 

"Yoo-hoo. Cloud? Hello?" 

"Please don't. Not a  _ word _ .", realizing that it was impossible to ignore her forever, he turned around with a stern gaze that caused even Aerith to keep any remarks to herself, albeit nothing could stop her from grinning from ear to ear. 

"Not even one…?"

" _ No. _ "

"But you are so cute…!"

He simply continued on his way, ignoring every single person around him that stared in awe at his appearance as they made their way to see Don Corneo. He was right from the very beginning, this place had been nothing else but a nightmare. 

Cloud lost count how many times he had run through the Market, to run errands, to fight in the arena, to do literally  _ everything _ , all in the hopes of receiving a recommendation. But there was a feeling that continuously urged him onwards, to do whatever was necessary, regardless of how it was done. 

Up until the moment he stepped into the Honeybee Inn. 

Any other time he would have died in shame and embarrassment, images of Aerith staring with wide and sparkling eyes while cheering all the way through his dancing performance appearing in front of his mental eye… 

… but Tifa was in that mansion, and he wouldn't hesitate for another second to get there. 

* * *

_ "How do you two know each other?", Tifa couldn't keep the suspicion at bay as her eyes turned from Aerith back towards Cloud, noticing the absent stare of the latter as he looked at the ground.  _

_ "I saved her, she saved. Round and round it goes.", as he stood up from his kneeling position, his stare still not directed at her, she swiftly followed after a brief moment of hesitation and got up from the ground with haste.  _

_ "And… that's all there is to it?", she leaned slightly forward to catch his eyes with her own until he finally faced her again, and her composure threatened to crumble as she tried to keep her expression from showing her fear and discomfort.  _

_ "Sure there isn't something else going on…?", her own forwardness surprised her for but a second, but she couldn't have cared less in that moment. She didn't even notice that the circumstance pushed her farther than she would normally go, but unfortunately…  _

_ … she didn't get an answer as Aerith suddenly began to stir, tearing Cloud's attention away.  _

Tifa knew that it was that straightforwardness that she lacked as she watched Aerith clinging onto Cloud with hurt in her eyes. They had met under unusual circumstances, Tifa only knew her for a brief time, and a lot of her questions remained unanswered, since the only thing that was evident when talking with Cloud about the Wall Market was that he  _ didn't  _ want to talk about it. 

_ 'Mine'  _

That single word echoed within her head the moment Aerith had spoken it, and Tifa's lips turned into a straight line. This was wrong, all of it, and the longer that single word coursed through her mind, the more she realized that it was no longer Aerith's voice that was echoing within her head. 

"Ghosts aren't exactly my thing.", Aerith glanced at him in surprise as he slowly but sternly pulled his arm away from her hold, prompting her to stare for a moment with disappointment. As the both of them took their first steps towards the old door that had seemingly opened itself, Cloud hesitated for a moment before he turned around once more to see if Tifa was coming as well. 

"Tifa?", his voice brought her out of her trance before her eyes focused on him again. 

"Y-yeah, lead the way.", his gaze lingered on her for a few more seconds before she shot him a reassuring smile as she caught up to them. As they moved through the abandoned train depot, he glanced at her from time to time, unsure what was going through her mind as she was undoubtedly in deep thought. 

However, it was a surprise when he suddenly felt a pair of arms taking hold of his own, causing him to stare back at Tifa with widened eyes, confusion written all over them. 

"... Cloud?" 

"Yes, Tifa?", his words were caught in his throat as she tightened her grip ever so slightly before she leaned her head onto his shoulder as they walked, her eyes hidden from his vision. 

"Would you mind holding me longer like this?", a small gasp was the only response he could come up with as they continued to walk, but after a short moment of silence, she could feel him moving his arm around her shoulder. 

Tifa wasn't bold, and she certainly wasn't straightforward in her words when it came to her own feelings… but she knew Cloud better than anyone else, and she had her  _ own  _ way to show her most inner secrets. 

Aerith glanced behind herself for a short moment before a small grin formed on her face. 

_ 'See? You simply needed a small push into the right direction…' _

  
  



	3. A Promise Unspoken

A calm breeze rushed through the giant garden, the cold night air brushing against Tifa's skin, sending small shivers down her spine. Sleep evaded her. Memories kept haunting her mind for every second that she would try to close her eyes. And she was tired, so very  _ tired _ …

All the loss and destruction, the mere image of their former home, all torn apart and laid to waste… once again, Shinra had managed to tear everything away from her. Her eyes were burning with raw emotion, but the tears refused to fall. Her gaze wandered to the flowers in front of her, gently swaying in the wind while never losing a fracture of their beauty. 

And she was reminded why she was still standing here, refusing to give in to the despair that wouldn't cease to follow her. Her form relaxed ever so slightly, the cold still tearing at her, but she knew that she couldn't return to sleep, regardless how much she tried. 

She could hear the light steps from behind her as they slowly, almost hesitantly, approached. She knew who it was, she had a feeling once they stopped a small distance away, silence hanging in the air for a brief moment. 

"You couldn't sleep either, huh…?", Tifa glanced behind herself, sure enough seeing Cloud looking back at her with a mixed expression. All of a sudden, the sheer amount of emotions and images from a mere moment ago coursed through her mind once more, disrupting her from shoving them into the back of her mind. They simply wouldn't let her, and her composure began to crumble as she glanced at the ground. 

Cloud knew that the recent events had left deep marks, he could see the way Tifa was internally lost as they, along with Barret, walked through the remains of what was once their home. The moment they had found what was left of the Seventh Heaven, a torn and burned shield the only reminder that this was where it had once been, he could only watch from behind as Tifa was seemingly staring into empty space. It almost reminded him of… 

"They have taken everything from us again, haven't they…?", her voice was close to quivering, and it caused all of Cloud's previous thoughts to disappear once he could see the turmoil that was merely hiding behind her eyes. 

Yet, before he could utter a single word, Tifa wordlessly turned to face him while taking slow but deliberate steps towards him, closing the distance between them without ever looking up from the ground. She rested her head upon his chest, her hands slowly following afterwards, and he could feel her trembling against him. 

She was crying. 

Cloud was frozen in place as her trembling form shook more violently from her sobs, tears staining his clothes as she clung to him, allowing all of her suppressed emotions to break free. Until she could feel him slowly embracing her as well, although she couldn't see the change in his eyes. 

All the while as they walked through the ruins of their former home, he searched for  _ any  _ words to try and take the despair away from her eyes, to reassure her, to show her that she was not alone. But words failed him, they always did, and it had never changed even during all those years. All that he could do to express what he couldn't hope to convey with words… 

He didn't know for how long they simply stood there atop of the small hill, allowing this moment to pass and to remain in each other's embrace. All until her tears slowly but surely stopped falling, and her sobs began to cease. It was only then that Cloud could at least feel a little bit more at ease. 

"C-Cloud… you're hurting me…", his eyes widened slightly in embarrassment before he immediately released her from his hug, taking a small step back. She hesitated slightly, her eyes still trained at the ground, albeit they were finally free of the tears they had been holding for so long. 

"I'm sorry, I know that it is useless to cry, that it won't change anything…", his eyes widened once more and for once, he didn't hesitate to speak his mind. 

"That's not true!", they weren't much, but Tifa knew of the meaning they held once she finally raised her head to meet his eyes, a genuine smile on her face. 

"Thank you..."

Silence hung in the air again, but this time, it was filled with a serene and peaceful atmosphere. However, the flowers caught Tifa's interest again as they swayed in the wind due to another breeze, and a sudden thought occurred in her mind. 

"That flower you gave me the other day… it was from Aerith, wasn't it?", obviously caught off guard by the sudden question, it was clear that she already knew the answer to it. 

"I knew that there was something off with that, you buying flowers all of a sudden…", the memory coursed through Cloud's mind again, and he averted his eyes slightly. 

_ "This flower holds a special meaning, it symbolizes reunion. Lovers used to give these when they were reunited…", Cloud merely suppressed a sigh as Aerith tucked it safely onto his clothes.  _

"She wanted me to keep it as a token.", Tifa's eyes caught his own once more, and a long silence stretched between them again. 

_ "Cloud, I was actually wondering, whom did you give it to?", he stopped in his tracks for a brief moment.  _

_ "What?" _

_ "The flower, I'm simply curious.", he glanced at the ground in contemplation, feeling her stare that was trained upon him in obvious curiosity and wonder.  _

_ "I… can't recall." _

He shook his head slightly, trying to shove the memories into the back of his mind. Tifa remained quiet, regarding him closely as if she were searching for something, knowing about something. But alas, her voice broke the silence that surrounded them. 

"They stand for a reunion, don't they?", the surprise was evident in Cloud's expression, even more so when he suddenly found the patch of grass in front of him as quite captivating. She walked up to him to close the distance once more, clasping her hands behind her back. 

"Receiving it from you as a gift that day, after all these years, I can't express how much it means to me...", her smile tore his attention back to her eyes, before he simply lost himself within them. 

"... that you gave it to  _ me  _ of all people."

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed these small snippets! I don't think I can express enough which particular two characters I favored while playing the game


End file.
